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BLACKPINK's most recent release, Pink Venom, from their second studio album, Born Pink, garnered an immensely positive reception from fans. The pre-release single’s music video premiered on August 19, 2022, and has set multiple records since then.
Considering that the girl band made its comeback after almost a gap of two years, BLINKs had high expectations from the artist. They served several new elements, including traditional Korean music, non-conventional styles for Jisoo and Lisa, and a much-awaited JenLisa (Jennie and Lisa) rap segment, among others.
However, even more interesting in BLACKPINK’s Pink Venom were the mentions of multiple references from their previous music videos. It didn’t take fans long to figure out all the hidden messages as well as the details from their past songs. Here, we will take a quick look at some of these references.
6 references from BLACKPINK’s previous music videos in their latest hit Pink Venom
1) The twining backdrops
Just one quick glance at the ending of BLACKPINK’s latest release is enough to deduce where the inspiration comes from. Fans spotted the similarity between the backdrops of Kill This Love and Pink Venom almost instantly.
From the blue-white-black tones to the bombarding effects, both tracks follow a congruous aesthetic. Moreover, the outfit styling, as well as the overall atmosphere paired with slow-motion grooves, scream Kill This Love vibes.
2) The flower from Rosé’s solo Gone
BLACKPINK’s Rosé released her solo, Gone, on March 12, 2021, as part of her debut single album R. In the music video, she is seen holding a burning rose to signify her broken heart, which is “lovesick.”
The same feelings are reflected through her bridge in Pink Venom and hence the representation of her holding something black and dark is a testament to how she is a changed person now. The pink blooms do not interest her anymore as she has moved on to a distinct side, perhaps a murky one.
3) The Lisa and Rambo legacy
A verse in Lisa’s rap in Pink Venom mentions ‘Rambo’ which reminded fans of something similar in BLACKPINK’s BOOMBAYAH. The K-pop idol’s lyrics during her rap segment in BOOMBAYAH found its way in the group’s latest release as well. Her Pink Venom rap lyrics, “Black paint and ammo, got bodies like RAMBO,” also depicted her love for Rambo.
4) Choreography from the artists' solo songs
While fans eagerly awaited a thrilling and riveting choreography, Pink Venom didn’t have a lot of variations from what BLACKPINK generally serves on the floor. Jennie’s Solo, Rosé’s On The Ground, and Lisa’s Money had similar moves as shown in Pink Venom’s music video, much to fans’ disappointment.
Various concerns over the group’s repetitive and replicative choreographies were also raised, especially claiming doubts if that’s the best the team can do after a two-year gap comeback.
5) Rosé and her obsession with ink
The iconic ink-play moment in Pink Venom’s music video is not the first to exist. A still from BLACKPINK’s 2020 release, Lovesick Girls, also offered a similar pattern. The Gone singer was drenched in black ink during Pink Venom’s bridge segment.
She was also seen holding what fans recognized as a heart to signify her changed aura. Undoubtedly, nobody does ink-play better than Rosé. Her sensational visuals and graceful glances complement the ink aesthetic extremely well.
6) Lisa’s venomous apple
BLACKPINK’s Pink Venom had crazy details with respect to referencing their previous music videos. One such instance is Lisa’s apple. In the group’s How You Like That music video, she was seen posing with an apple. However, in Pink Venom, the artist is seen taking a bite of a black apple.
Suspected to be poisonous, the black apple that is pink from the inside is a perfect metaphor to beautifully portray ‘pink venom.’ Moreover, her eyes turn pink after consuming the apple, furthering the agenda and concept of the song.
While Pink Venom has left great impressions on the charts, including a record-setting statement of 90.4 million views within 24 hours, it has still come under some backlash. It has become the biggest 24-hour debut for a music video in 2022.
BLINKs have expressed their disappointment over the stagnant nature of their songs and choreographies. They have had higher expectations from the girl group and their team, considering that they made a comeback after almost two years.
